Saturday morning I get up at 5 am to deliver the mail. Until elections, this is still my job. That reminds me that I have to decide if I want to run this year. Last year it wasn't a hard question to answer given the marriage and my feeling for Hieronymous. This year is quite a different case. The thing is I've always liked the work even if I leave Hieronymous out of it. Those quiet mornings where all I can hear is the wind in the trees and my own footsteps. I make it to the mailroom and walk inside. As I step across the doorway, I look around the room. I have so many memories in this room.
"Good morning Hieronymous. What are you doing?"
Hieronymous is sitting at the table in the mailroom facing the door.
"Good morning. I am sorting the freshman mail since they have not yet had a chance to elect a treasurer for themselves,"
"Oh, I never considered how that was handled,"
I sit down at the table across from him and begin sorting through the sophomore mail. We sit in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes sorting through the mail.
"If you'd like I could help you deliver the mail," I say as nonchalantly as I can.
He look up and frowns at me "I am quite capable of delivering the mail on my own,"
"Not what I meant," I say raising a brow at him though powerless to keep myself from smiling. The man has such a quick temper though he seems to be trying to control it more lately.
"I just thought it would be more enjoyable to do it together"
A slight blush appears on his face before he shakes it off. God forbid he would ever appear anything but calm and collected.
"My apologies. Though I would not wish you to be late with your own deliveries,"
"Then you could help me with mine as well. Then I won't be late," I suggest smiling cheekily.
He gives a crooked smile at my glee "I suppose,"
I look down before he can notice the blush spreading on my cheeks. His smile has the habit of making my heart beat rapidly. With that, we finish sorting our mail before leaving to do the deliveries together.
I shake myself out of the memory. Already exhausted though the day has just begun I sit down at the table to begin sorting the mail. Continuously ripping up the past is tiring me out. I really need to move on. But how do you move on from someone who has affected your life so drastically? Especially when he is your professor. I quickly finish the sorting and head out to deliver the mail.
As I return to the room both Virginia and Ellen are getting up.
"Good morning,"
"Good morning," they reply with a bit of a slur in their voices.
"So, are you guys going to the mall today?"
"Yeah, gotta relax after this week. The first week is always hard to get through," Virginia answers, now sounding more awake "You coming?"
"Yeah I'm coming. My brain is completely fried," exhaustion covering my every word.
We quickly get ready to go get breakfast and soon we're in the mall. We go get something to eat and play some games at the arcade. Last year we all had a little money left which we have saved until now. Afterwards I feel energized and the stress of the week seems to have disappeared.
The next week is initiation for the freshmen. From what I hear through the week, nothing too bad happens and no one ends up in detention. Though there was quite an interesting show when one of the freshmen, a boy with short blond hair, stood on the fountain in the courtyard and sang, "I'll make a man out of you". It was very entertaining and luckily for the boy his voice wasn't half bad. Maybe Donald will ask him to join his choral.
As the third week of the year rolls in Virginia ambushes Ellen and me in our room.
"You're joining the sports club again this year, right?"
I had expected this question knowing club signup would be on Wednesday, though I am surprised she has waited this long to ask us. Opposed to me Ellen looks flustered. Last week she and I talked about clubs for this year and she mentioned that she was considering only doing choral this year. She had never really liked sports much and with the new classes, we would be busy with homework. I can only agree but I'm guessing other things might be affecting her choice like a certain boy.
"Yeah I'm joining. Gotta be there to kick your ass," I say smirking.
"You wish!" Virginia grins back at me before looking at Ellen "What do you say Ellen?"
"Ehm," Ellen looks very uncomfortable "I was thinking only doing choral this year. We have so many classes now to keep up with, that I only have time for one club and I really enjoy singing,"
"Oh," awkward silence "well I guess I get that, but if you want you are welcome to come join us every now and then," Virginia looks uncomfortable but tries to smile at Ellen.
"Yeah, I'd really like that," Ellen smiles back at Virginia and it feels like the awkward atmosphere dissipates somewhat.
So that's what happens. Virginia and I join the sports club and Ellen the choral.
On Monday, the next week Ellen catches me before I leave for class.
"Hey, Professor Grabiner is probably holding a study session for each year of students again this year. Do you want to go?"
"Sure, we might catch something we've missed in class," I shrug hoping to seem more casual than I feel. I chanced magical history on Tuesday and Thursday last week and it still felt uncomfortable but I am getting better at keeping my feeling lucked up doing Hieronymous' classes. Is love supposed to be this difficult?
"Great! Virginia can't be bothered. I guess some things never change," we both laugh at that. Virginia didn't go the last two years either deciding that it won't do much of a difference.
"Damn! I have to go or I'll be late"
I run out the room waving back at Ellen over my shoulder. I get as far as the halls of the main school building before I get a reminder of why I don't run in the halls. As I get closer to a T in the hall, one way leading towards the classrooms and the other to the teachers private quarters, I see Hieronymous walking towards class and I'm about to collide with him. Again. I try to stop immediately, which makes me lose my balance having to step further forwards to avoid falling on my face. Together with this, I make all kinds of moves with my arms trying to get my balance back and hopefully grab on to something for dear life. Somehow I avoid falling over now standing bend over. As I look down I see two feet and I know I only just managed to not crash into Hieronymous. I feel my face going completely red knowing I must have looked completely ridiculous vailing about like that. Slowly I straighten up and look at him. What I see leaves me completely out of breath. He is smiling at me. Not the sneer he uses on disappointing students. It's the smile I haven't seen for so long. A warm smile with amusement in his eyes. It's barely there but to me it might as well have been filling his entire face. If other students hadn't been around I'm sure he would have chuckled.
"I see some things does not change though this time you managed to stop before causing an incident,"
I try to say something but the astonishment together with the embarrassment has made me speechless and I just look at him dumbfounded. As he realizes that I'm not going to speak his usual stern expression returns and I can breathe again.
"I believe you had somewhere you needed to be Miss Murray,"
"Oh! Yes!" I regain my composure and prepare to hurry towards class when I'm reminded of my conversation with Ellen. Hieronymous has already started walking and so I walk up beside him rather awkwardly.
"Umm, professor. I was wondering if you were going to have study sessions again this year for everyone?"
"Yes, as I have done the other years," he looks at me dubiously.
"Yeah, um, just wanted to make sure,"
"Do you intent to attend? You are doing quite well and I doubt you will have much difficulty doing the coming exam,"
I look up at him surprised by his statement before collecting myself "yeah well, maybe I'll learn something I've missed while taking other classes," I shrug trying to feel less uncomfortable.
"I suppose that is a fair point,"
We reach Professor Moors classroom and I quickly excuse myself before entering. That was quite an experience. Where did all that come from? The conversation could be explained with him being my professor and guiding me. But that smile. That wasn't anything that simple. Professor Moor enters the classroom so I quickly find a seat and put the incident to the back of my mind.
On Thursday Ellen and I enter the mailroom to attend the study session. I'm still unsure of what has caused Hieronymous to begin acting differently around me and I'm wondering if the change is going to last or if he's going to change back again. As he enters the mailroom, my heart starts beating faster. It continues to do so throughout the session.
"Miss Murray, what are the two types of magic barriers and what are their characteristics?"
I straighten up and try to sound confident "There are fire barriers and force barriers. A fire barrier is a weak field, which can easily be pushed through, though only the strongest wizard will be able to without being slightly charred, as the source of the fire is magical. They are mostly used for cleansing. A force barrier repel physical objects and can only be destroyed with a spell for dispelling,"
"Correct," with that he continues his barrage of question on the other students.
The next day I stand by the door to the exam room. I take a deep breath before grapping onto the handle and then I'm teleported into the dungeons.
"In order to pass this exam you must find the hidden exit but be warned, there are traps and you are not alone. Good luck,"
The dungeon is rather dark but I don't dare cast a light spell since it would attract any nearby monsters. I'm hoping to do this without being seen. I first cast a spell called scentless which will disrupt my scent so the monsters can't find me as easily. After this, I cast awareness. Gradually as I've become stronger the spell has gotten more detailed and a longer reach. I see that the hall I'm standing in continues quite a bit further with two halls branching of to the right and one to the left. There is also a couple of traps. I creep forward listening for any monsters nearby while avoiding the traps. I get to the first hall to the right and cast breeze. The breeze directs me forward. I consider casting an awareness spell down the hall so I know if there is any monsters down there but decide against it. Better to conserve the energy. I begin creeping forward again avoiding another trap before I get to the next hall going to the right. Again, I cast breeze and again it directs me forward. As I sneak forward again, I hear something not far behind me. I turn around slowly and see a hodag looking down the hall towards where I came from. I freeze and immediately begin considering my options. A hodag has a good night vision so if it turns around I'm toast. I have to do something. I can't cast fear since the commotion would lure the other monsters here. My best choice is sleep though it costs a lot of mana but it will cost more if I have to fight all the monsters down here. I cast the spell and watch as the Hodag lays down on the ground and goes to sleep. When I'm sure it has worked I continue forward. As I get to the last hall I cast breeze again and this time it leads me down the corridor. I cast awareness down the hall and know that the exit is at the middle guarded by another Hodag. I cast another sleep spell, then truesight and as I leave the dungeon, I still have magic to spare.
"Well done! 5 merits for passing the exam and another 5 for doing it without the use of violence," Professor Moor smiles at me warmly. "I really enjoy watching the exams of those who tries to solve the problems more creatively,"
"Thanks Professor. It is more fun doing it that way."
"I'm glad to hear. Have a good day Miss Murray."
"You too," I beam and wave at her as I Ieave.
